Nickel: It’s right in front of your eyes (Oct, 1950)

Look closely at these smartly – styled glasses. Look as long, as hard as you please… and you won’t see the Nickel they contain.

It’s right before your eyes, too… in the frames (mountings, some people call them). But you don’t see this Nickel. You see the precious metal that surrounds it — gold, in this case.

But take these glasses in your hand … watch them in use… and, though you don’t see the Nickel, you do see what it does.

See how strong but light the frames are…

See how they hold their shape, once properly fitted…

See how beautifully they stand up under long wear, never rusting, never corroding, never becoming unsightly…

Mostly, this is due to Nickel, “Your Unseen Friend.” That helps explain why Nickel is frequently added to other metals. It shows you some of the advantages Nickel gives other metals. Advantages that make these metals more useful to you … advantages that would be lacking without Nickel… advantages that are out of all proportion to the small percentage of Nickel used!

Because of these advantages, Nickel has a well-recognized place in conserving eyesight throughout the profession.

It’s used in practically all professional equipment—diagnostic instruments, examining instruments, sterilizers. It’s the “backbone” of most glasses. It’s the optical manufacturer’s “Unseen Friend” in many different ways.

Wherever you look… business, industry, your own home… Nickel is usually right in front of your eyes. It serves unobtrusively, yet dependably. That’s why Nickel is called “Your Unseen Friend.”

The Romance of Nickel is the name of a booklet that tells, in word and picture, the story of Nickel, and how Nickel is used to make life easier and more pleasant. It tells many little-known facts that make interesting conversation. You’ll really enjoy reading it. For a free copy, write The International Nickel Company, Inc., Dept. 376z, New York 5, New York.

Nickel is a very useful metal – one of its latest starring roles is in nickel metal hydride rechargeable cells – but I think “The Romance of Nickel” is putting it a bit strong!

woid says: May 24, 20115:59 am

Ads for industrial products and materials, aimed at ordinary Joes and their house wives, running in general circulation magazines… what a weird idea!

This kind of thing had to be the inspiration for Bob & Ray’s ads for the Monongahela Metal Foundry (Casting steel ingots with the housewife in mind): “Ladies! Are your steel ingots looking dull?…”

I’m going to write in for a copy of that booklet “The Romance of Nickel.” Just in case there are still some left.

jayessell says: May 24, 20117:56 am

Could the Saturday Evening Post have been strong-armed by the Nickel lobby?
Maybe a money laundering scheme?
“Don’t send the money to me, it could be traced.
Use it to take out a full page ad in the Saturday Evening Post.”

jayessell says: May 24, 20118:02 am

ALSO… What kind of time-warp and paradox is involved when
the model poses with the future issue of the magazine the ad
is destined to appear in?

JMyint says: May 24, 20119:39 am

I happen to be allergic to nickle, I cannot wear jewelry or watches as contact with the metal causes me to break out in blisters.

Charlene says: May 24, 201110:07 am

This may be one of the last instances of “romance” being used to mean “heroic prose narrative” instead of “love story”.

JMyint: Do US 5-cent coins cause you problems? According to Wikipedia, “nickels” are in fact 25% nickel.

Charlene says: May 24, 201111:11 am

@GaryM: people with nickel allergies don’t usually react to momentary handling of items. The reaction usually occurs when the item is held next to the skin for some time. Some of the pictures at the Johns Hopkins DermAtlas website are disturbing, to say the least.

Don F says: May 24, 201111:39 am

jayessel, it only becomes a problem if the issue is NOT published. But it was. <>

Loop, endless — See Endless loop

Endless loop — See Loop, endless

Recursion — See Recursion

JMyint says: May 24, 201111:50 am

I don’t have problems with “Nickles” but I do have problems with things like buttons on pants and belt buckles. My eyeglasses were giving me a fit until I painted the frames with clear nail polish.

JMyint says: May 24, 201111:54 am

Ya know I should read what I type more often. I have just been letting my fingers go on auto-pilot and mis-spelling nickel.